A year on, world’s first whole eye and face transplant recipient’s new eye shows some response to light. Although the patient can’t see through it, its pressure is normal and blood flow is good. This is the first successful whole eye transplant without rejection, a step towards restoring sight.

I’ve linked to the news release in the post above. In this comment, for those interested, here’s the link to the peer reviewed journal article:

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2823414

From the linked article:

US scientists say the transplanted eye of the world’s first whole eye and face transplant recipient is responding to light, although the recipient himself can’t see it. The team tested the response of his retina – the light-sensitive ‘screen’ at the back of the eye – to light, finding there is some retinal function. Although the patient can’t see through his new eye, the experts say its pressure is normal and blood flow is good. They say this is the first successful whole eye transplant without rejection by the body, a promising step towards being able to restore sight. The 46-year-old transplant recipient suffered a high voltage electrical injury in 2021, resulting in the loss of his left eye and eyelid, nose, lips, and facial tissue. Initial surgical reconstruction left him struggling to eat and breathe comfortably, issues the face transplant, which was also not rejected by his body, has helped to address.

This is the kind of breakthrough that feels straight out of a sci-fi movie, seeing an eye transplant not only survive but start to respond to light is mind-blowing !!